O ensino do atletismo na educação infantil: as contribuições dos jogos e das brincadeiras para o desenvolvimento infantil

Abstract

Athletics is a sport that can greatly support children’s development due to its ability to stimulate different motor skills and to convey learning that goes beyond the motor domain, encompassing social, behavioral, and other aspects. In school Physical Education, sports are typically taught only in the years of elementary education, and athletics is generally not a popular sport among students. In Early Childhood Education, children should have opportunities to experience different situations outlined in the Fields of Experience established by the BNCC, with Physical Education addressing themes related to the culture of movement in a playful way, aiming to support child development through games and play activities. Play is fundamental for children, as it is through play that they interact with peers and their environment; it is by playing that they can express feelings and sensations, overcome challenges, and communicate more effectively. Given the difficulty of relating Physical Education curricular content—especially from the perspective of sports teaching—to the Fields of Experience proposed for Early Childhood Education, this study aimed to analyze the process of designing and implementing a didactic unit addressing elements of athletics through games and play in Early Childhood Physical Education classes. This is a qualitative study conducted with five-year-old children from a Municipal Early Childhood School (EMEI) in the city of Ribeirão Preto, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Data collection was carried out through video recordings, a teaching journal, and drawings produced by children. The results showed that the process of designing the didactic unit was dynamic, involving adjustments and reorganization throughout its implementation, which led to an increase in the number of sessions, resulting in a final structure of eight sessions. Regarding its implementation, the didactic unit proved appropriate to the children’s developmental level, allowing them to understand and experience the activities in a playful and safe manner. We conclude that games and play represent a powerful pedagogical strategy for teaching athletics in Early Childhood Education. Teaching athletics to this age group proved relevant, as it enabled the integration of different Fields of Experience and contributed to children’s motor, cognitive, and socio-emotional development, in alignment with the BNCC. As an educational resource, a mini didactic guide on athletics for Early Childhood Education, especially for five-year-old children—was developed based on the experiences of the participating children, with the aim of supporting teaching practice and promoting holistic development.